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SWR softball coach Chad Whitson from 2022 season

Whitson leaves as Cougars’ softball coach

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Chad Whitson coached Southwestern Randolph’s softball team to strong seasons. (Randolph Record file photo)

ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph softball coach Chad Whitson has resigned after five seasons, the school announced Monday.

The Cougars held a 65-22 record under Whitson’s direction.

Toby Strider, who had been an assistant coach, has been promoted to head coach. Strider also previously coached at the middle school.

The Cougars positioned a 22-2 record this year, going undefeated in Piedmont Athletic Conference play and ranking among the top teams in the state in Class 2-A. Standout pitcher Macie Crutchfield completed her sophomore season.

Infielder Carleigh Whitson, the coach’s daughter, was a senior on this season’s team.

Whitson received conference Coach of the Year honors in 2021 and 2023. The Cougars were league champions or co-champions three times with Whitson as coach.

UCA softball Ferguson v North Stokes May2023

Softball teams ousted in fourth round

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Jayla Ferguson scores for Uwharrie Charter Academy in a softball victory against North Stokes in the third round of the Class 1-A state playoffs. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

 

All in one night, the dreams of state championships for three Randolph County softball teams were dashed.

They all had reached West Regional semifinals, but then Southwestern Randolph, Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy went down Friday night.

Class 2-A

At Asheboro, West Wilkes knocked off host Southwestern Randolph 2-1 in 10 innings.

Leah Greene’s sacrifice fly in the 10th inning for third-seeded West Wilkes was the difference.

Second-seeded Southwestern Randolph (22-2) scored first when Madison Varner drove in a third-inning run. West Wilkes (22-0) pulled even in the next inning on pitcher Lily Profit’s home run.

From the circle, Profit delivered a three-hitter. Macie Crutchfield pitched a complete game with 17 strikeouts for Southwestern Randolph.

The Cougars’ only other loss this year came to Hickory Ridge, which has advanced to the Class 4-A West Regional finals.

Class 1-A

Fourth-seeded Eastern Randolph came up short in a 3-1 loss at top-seeded South Stokes.

Lanie McDaniel had three hits for Eastern Randolph (18-6). She scored the only run on Ayanna Mears’ single in the second inning.

Wildcats pitcher Addie Flinchum struck out 10 batters, but issued six walks and allowed five hits.

Eastern Randolph was in its first road game of this postseason. South Stokes improved to 24-1.

** Uwharrie Charter Academy lost 12-2 at No. 11 seed Union Academy.

Logan Zephir had two hits and Emory Johnson and Molly Bulla drove in runs for the 15th-seeded Eagles (15-4), who had allowed only one run across their first three playoff games combined.

Union Academy moved on with a 22-4 record.

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Prep softball: Cougars bounce Patriots; Eastern Randolph, UCA advance

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 Southwestern Randolph pitcher Macie Crutchfield delivers to the plate against Providence Grove. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph had a challenge from in-county rival Providence Grove in the second round of the Class 2-A state playoffs.

The Cougars had the right combination, riding Macie Crutchfield’s no-hitter to Friday night’s 5-0 victory.

Southwestern Randolph (21-1) has a third-round home game against No. 10 seed Mount Pleasant on Tuesday night.

Ky Perdue went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, while Madison Varner drove in two runs.

Providence Grove pitcher Emma Mazzarone’s prep career ended despite 13 strikeouts without a walk. The Patriots finished with a 14-9 record.

Providence Grove reached the second round by nipping No. 18 seed West Caldwell 1-0 in eight innings as Mazzarone fired a one-hitter with 19 strikeouts. Devon Kelly’s two-out double in the eighth drove in Katie Joe Staley.

Meanwhile, Southwestern Randolph secured a 10-0 triumph against No. 31 seed East Davidson in the first round as Caressa King and Maddie Strider blasted home runs. Crutchfield and Alyssa Harris combined to strike out seven batters in the six-inning game.

** No. 29 seed Randleman lost 11-0 at fourth-seeded West Stanly in the first round.

Class 1-A

Fourth-seeded Eastern Randolph and 15th-seeded Uwharrie Charter Academy both won two games in the opening week of the state playoffs.

Eastern Randolph drilled No. 29 seed Bradford Prep 13-0 in the first round as Addie Flinchump had two home runs among her four hits. She drove in six runs.

Ayanna Mears also homered and Lanie McDaniel had three hits, including a triple.

Eastern Randolph then topped No. 20 seed Starmount 9-0 with Flinchum striking out 15 and walking two in the two-hitter. Skylar Pugh belted a grand slam, Mears scored three runs and Ziera Watson scored two runs.

Next for the Wildcats (17-5) is a home date Tuesday vs. No. 12 seed East Wilkes.

UCA opened the playoffs with a 32-0 whipping of Highland Tech as Kenzie Hill and Molly Bulla homered. Hill, Bulla and Kynley Brewer all scored four runs. Bulla struck out 11 without allowing a hit.

UCA’s second victory of the playoffs came with a 4-1 upset at No. 2 seed South Stanly as pitcher Bulla struck out 14 batters and walked four. Hill scored two runs.

The Eagles (14-8) are slated for Tuesday’s third-round home game against No. 26 seed North Stokes.

SWR softball with PAC trophy May2023

Cruising Cougars collect PAC Tournament title in softball

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Southwestern Randolph team members celebrate after the PAC Tournament championship game against visiting Providence Grove. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – Macie Crutchfield threw a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as Southwestern Randolph completed its domination of the Piedmont Athletic Conference with Thursday night’s 7-0 victory against visiting Providence Grove in the league tournament championship game.

Carleigh Whitson had two hits and two runs batted in to help the Cougars to their first conference tournament title in eight years.

Caressa King, who had a triple, drove in one run and scored a run, while Madelyn Smith and Madison Varner both knocked in one run. Lileigh Payne and Maddie Strider each scored two runs.

Southwestern Randolph (19-1) is expected to be one of the West Region’s top seed for the Class 2-A state playoffs that begin next week.

Crutchfield didn’t issue a walk, but she hit three batters. The Cougars were aided by error-less defense.

Southwestern Randolph’s Carleigh Whitson is about to be tagged out at the plate by Providence Grove pitcher Emma Mazzarone. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

Providence Grove (13-8) lost for the third time this season to the Cougars, scoring a total of one run in those games.

In the latest meeting, Emma Mazzarone, Mailey Way and Maddie Flinchum each had one single for the Patriots. Mazzarone was the losing pitcher, striking out nine and walking three.

Southwestern Randolph avenged a 1-0 loss from last year’s PAC Tournament final at Providence Grove.

Earlier rounds …

Southwestern Randolph won 3-0 against Uwharrie Charter Academy in the semifinals with Crutchfield’s two-hitter including 14 strikeouts. Varner had a triple and scored a run.

Third-seeded Providence Grove edged second-seeded Eastern Randolph 3-2 with Mazzarone’s complete game from the pitching circle.

Providence Grove began the tournament with an 11-1 victory against sixth-seeded Wheatmore with Mazzarone logging 11 strikeouts and driving in three runs. Leela Von Der Hey also knocked in two runs, while Kaylee St. Join joined Mazzarone with two doubles.

Eastern Randolph won 17-0 against seventh-seeded Trinity in the quarterfinals as Quachell Headen knocked in four runs and Skylar Pugh struck out 11 with one walk.

UCA’s Kenzie Hill went 4-for-4 and Kynley Brewer scored two runs in the fourth-seeded Eagles’ 6-3 victory against fifth-seeded Randleman.

ER softball team in dugout spring2023

Prep Roundup: Randleman claims PAC baseball crown

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Eastern Randolph’s softball team has had lots to cheer about this season despite last week’s loss to Southwestern Randolph. (File photo)

RANDLEMAN – Randleman avenged a loss from three nights earlier to defeat visiting Trinity 6-1 on Friday night and secure another Piedmont Athletic Conference baseball championship.

The Tigers (17-4 overall, 10-2 PAC) won their regular-season home finale. They’ll be the top seed for the conference tournament as a prelude to their bid for a third consecutive Class 2-A state championship.

Second-place Trinity won 3-2 earlier last week behind Cade Hill’s complete-game pitching and Landon Mowery’s home run. The Bulldogs went up 3-0 on Randleman starter Seth Way and held on.

Randleman has completed its regular-season conference schedule, while the other six teams all had two games to play entering this week. Trinity, Uwharrie Charter Academy and Providence Grove can all finish in second place.

** Providence topped Eastern Randolph 7-3 at home with Tyler Foust going 3-for-3 and scoring two runs and Lemuel Coltrane driving in two runs. Three nights later on the road, the Patriots upended Eastern Randolph 4-3. Andrew Thomas and Andrew Canter picked up the pitching victories as the Patriots reached the 12-win mark – two more than all of last season.

In between those outcomes, Providence Grove dropped an 8-3 home decision to Burlington Williams in non-league play.

** UCA beat Wheatmore twice last week, winning 1-0 at home behind Jake Hunter’s three-hit pitching.

In the rematch, Carter Brown homered in a 7-2 road victory that included Brett Smith’s complete-game pitching.

In between, UCA’s Ben Medinger hit a two-run, first-inning home run in a 5-2 non-league home triumph against Ledford.

** In the Mid-Piedmont Conference, Asheboro lost 1-0 at Ledford and then pulled out a 5-4 home victory against the same opponent. Tanner Marsh and Davis Gore homered in the Asheboro victory, which marked just the team’s second triumph in its last eight outings.

Softball

Southwestern Randolph suffered its first loss of the season with Friday night’s 3-0 home setback to Hickory Ridge.

It was a non-league showdown between teams that both held 16-1 records when the game was finished.

Hickory Ridge scored one run in the third inning and two more in the seventh.

Southwestern Randolph won the previous two days in PAC play to clinch the regular-season crown. The Cougars topped host Eastern Randolph 4-0 and visiting Wheatmore 9-0. Macie Crutchfield struck out 13 Eastern Randolph batters and Alyssa Harris fanned 12 Wheatmore batters.

** Skyler Pugh and Addie Flinchum homered as Eastern Randolph nipped host Uwharrie Charter Academy 9-8.

Also last week, the Wildcats defeated Wheatmore 7-0 with Flinchum hitting a home run and Logan Beaver scoring two runs. Pugh and Flinchum combined to strike out 19 batters.

** UCA had a better result with a 13-8 home victory against Randleman with Kynley Brewer rapping three hits and scoring two runs. Also, UCA drubbed visiting Trinity 24-0 with Brewer homering and driving in three runs. Emory Johnson also homered and Kaitlyn West was credited with a three-inning no-hitter.

** Providence Grove senior pitcher Emma Mazzarone eclipsed the 800-strikeout mark for her career while throwing a no-hitter in a 16-1 road romp against Trinity. She posted 12 strikeouts.

Providence Grove suffered a 5-4, eight-inning loss at Southern Guilford in a non-league game despite Gracie Smith’s two runs batted in.

** Asheboro’s 11-10 non-conference victory against visiting Wheatmore came with five runs in the bottom of the seventh. Avery Dykes had four hits and scored two runs for Wheatmore.

Girls’ soccer

A matchup between the PAC first-place and second-place teams didn’t turn out to be much of a showdown as undefeated Wheatmore whipped host Providence Grove 10-1 last week. Summer Bowman scored five goals and Ellie Garrison had four goals.

SWR softball Macie Crutchfield 2022 photo

Prep Softball: Cougars stay on target with more romps

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Macie Crutchfield has been stellar as Southwestern Randolph’s ace pitcher. (Randolph Record file photo)

Southwestern Randolph continued its dominance in softball with three more victories.

The biggest came against defending Piedmont Athletic Conference champion Providence Grove, which fell by 7-1 to the Cougars.

By week’s end, the Cougars held a 14-0 overall record and a 9-0 PAC mark, nearly wrapping up the regular-season title.

Macie Crutchfield struck out 14 Providence Grove batters with a four-hitter. She walked three. Maddie Strider scored two runs.

Southwestern Randolph then socked host Central Davidson 19-3 behind Madison Varner’s five runs batted in.

The Cougars capped the week with a 10-0 ripping of visiting Randleman as Caressa King rapped four hits.

** Providence Grove won 2-0 against visiting Union Pines on Thursday as senior pitcher Emma Mazzarone struck out 14. That increased her career strikeout total to 792.

Wheatmore UCA softball March2023

Prep Roundup: Cougars stay on rise in softball

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Wheatmore’s Skylar Pittman tags Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Kenzie Hill at second base during Friday’s softball game. UCA won 11-1 in the home game. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

Southwestern Randolph’s softball team has been listed among highly ranked teams in the state and the Cougars have the results to back that up.

Southwestern Randolph won 1-0 in 10 innings against visiting Oak Grove last week as Carleigh Whitson drove in Kami Dunn to end the game.

Macie Crutchfield had a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts for the Cougars, who entered this week with an 8-0 overall record.

In the Piedmont Athletic Conference, Southwestern Randolph stopped host Wheatmore 12-0 with Alyssa Harris firing a five-inning no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and two walks.

** At Randleman, Providence Grove claimed a 6-2 road victory against the Tigers as Peela Von Der Hey had three hits and Emma Mazzarone struck out 17 with two walks.

Earlier in the week, Providence Grove won 4-0 vs. visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy as Mazzarone posted 15 strikeouts.

Also, Randleman collected a 16-0 PAC road romp past Trinity as Saniyah Deloatch knocked in three runs.

Baseball

Uwharrie Charter Academy delivered the first PAC loss on Trinity with Friday night’s 12-2 home victory, boosted by Jake Hunter’s three hits and two runs scored.

That result gave the Eagles three wins in a four-game stretch.

The Bulldogs (6-5, 5-1) had scored in double figures in their first four PAC games and then defeated visiting UCA 3-0 in last week’s first meeting. Trinity’s runs in that victory came on Jake Little’s two-run home run and Landon Mowery’s solo shot to support pitcher Cade Hill’s six-hitter.

Also, Ben Medinger homered twice as UCA won a non-conference road game against Caldwell Academy by 17-5.

** Trinity suffered a 16-6 non-league road loss to Asheboro in a game reduced to sixth inning when Josh Meadows homered to cause the mercy rule to be activated. Meadows drove in four runs and scored four runs. Connor Adams also drove in four runs for the Blue Comets, while Cohen Caviness homered.

** Providence Grove won 4-3 against visiting Northwood in a non-conference game on JC Cruz’s game-winning pinch-hit single in the seventh inning.

** Wheatmore swept two PAC games from Eastern Randolph, winning 5-2 at home and 9-4 on the road.

Track and field

At Troy, Randleman’s high jumpers were among the top finishers from Randolph County entrants in Saturday’s Timberwolf Invitational at Montgomery Central.

Chase Farlow of Randleman won the boys’ competition with a leap of 6 feet.

Randleman’s Ava Jones placed second in the girls’ high jump at 4-6.

Wheatmore’s Zach Hazelwood was the runner-up in the 3,200 meters with a time of 10 minutes. 53.60 seconds. Hazelwood placed third in the 1,600 in 4:54.38.

Other area entrants did well in field events.

In the boys’ long jump, Randleman’s Tristan Chriscoe was second at 19-4. Randleman’s Amarion Moton claimed fourth in the boys’ shot put at 40-3.

Rylee Reidling of Wheatmore was fourth in the girls’ shot put with a toss of 30 feet and Alexis Vaughn of Randleman was sixth at 27-2.

Chloe Gentry of Wheatmore was fifth in the girls’ triple jump at 28-9.

SWR at PG softball third base play March2023

Prep softball: Patriots go through process in new season

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Providence Grove’s Leela Von Der Hay tags out Southwestern Randolph’s Madison Varner. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

CLIMAX – Some growing pains are going to be part of the process for Providence Grove’s softball team this season.

That’s fine with coach Tim Brown as long as the Patriots show progress.

Providence Grove was undefeated in the regular season last year, but five starters are gone from that team.

“Comparing everything to last year would be difficult for everybody,” senior pitcher Emma Mazzarone said. “It was a special team. This year could be special, too. You can’t compare to last year because it won’t happen again.”

Brown said the Patriots will be tested regularly in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

“In Randolph County, you have to bring it every night,” he said. “We’re going to keep (winning) as long as we can.”

Mazzarone and catcher Gracie Smith provide a nice foundation. Mazzarone led the state in strikeouts with 364 in 2022.

The Patriots are learning as they go.

“I think the girls are definitely feeling a little more pressure considering they have to step into last year’s girls’ shoes,” Mazzarone said. “They all know the fundamentals of softball and they’ll be just fine.”

First baseman Callie Lambert said maintaining the standard is important, but not an overwhelming issue.

“There is pressure, but the goal is to always play hard,” Lambert said.

The Patriots dropped a non-conference decision to Oak Grove, a matchup that Brown knew would be a challenge.

“We wanted to see good pitching,” he said.

In the Piedmont Athletic Conference, Providence Grove began with Mazzarone striking out 13 Wheatmore batters in a 10-0, five-inning home victory. Callie Lambert a home run and a double.

The grip might have been loosened on the PAC by contender Southwestern Randolph, which topped the host Patriots 5-0 in Friday’s meeting.

Providence Grove’s only hit off Southwestern Randolph ace Macie Crutchfield was Devon Kelly’s seventh-inning single. Crutchfield struck out 14 with three walks.

Caressa King and Alley Lowe had two hits, including a double apiece, and knocked in runs for the Cougars. Mazzarone struck out 11 batters and walked two.

Other softball …

  • Earlier in the week, Crutchfield struck out 18 in an 8-0 romp past North Davidson.
  • Randleman’s Sarah Norton threw two shutouts during the week. She handled Northern Guilford in a 3-0 non-conference game and then blanked Wheatmore 9-0.
  • Eastern Randolph topped host Southern Alamance 13-10 in nine innings. The Wildcats built a 10-3 lead before Southern Alamance rallied in the sixth and seventh innings to extend the game. Lanie McDaniel had four hits and three RBI for Eastern Randolph and teammate Addie Flinchum, who strikeout 16 from the circle, also drove in four runs.
PG girls soccer v West Davidson March2023

Prep Roundup: Wheatmore girls start in good soccer groove; Mixed results in baseball, softball

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Providence Grove’s Rori Luther makes a move with West Davidson’s Marly Gouker approaching during last week’s game. West Davidson won 1-0. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Wheatmore opened the season with a 6-0 victory with Ellie Garrison scoring four goals against visiting Ledford last week in girls’ soccer.

Natalie Bowman and Summer Bowman had the other goals.

It was a nice start for the Warriors, who were undefeated Class 2-A state champions with a  25-0 record last year.

Here are some other items of note from the opening week of the spring season:

Baseball

** Randleman suffered an 11-0, six-inning loss March 1 at Northwest Guilford. That marked the first setback for the Tigers to in-state opponent since June 26, 2021, vs. Rutherfordton-Spindale Central in Game 2 of the Class 2-A state championship series. The Tigers responded later that day to win Game 3 and claim the title.

Last week’s opener went better for the Tigers, who defeated visiting Asheboro 13-2. The game ended in the sixth inning on Hunter Atkins’ three-run home run that clicked in the mercy rule.

** Eastern Randolph opened the season with an 8-3 home victory against Seaforth in coach Brent Haynes’ debut. In the Wildcats’ next game, Stratton Barwick struck out 10 batters in a 5-4 home loss to Eastern Guilford.

** Uwharrie Charter Academy lost its first game under new coach Rob Shore. That setback came by 6-5 at Ledford, where Shore coached a few years ago.

** Eli Gravely of Southwestern Randolph had a four-RBI outing in a 14-4 victory at Montgomery Central.

** Providence Grove opened the season with two non-conference victories for the first time since 2018, defeating visiting Southern Guilford 7-6 in eight innings and host Seaforth 4-2. Lemuel Coltrane had the game-winning hit against Southern Guilford.

** Parker Kines had 12 strikeouts in Wheatmore’s 10-0, five-inning victory against visiting Walkertown.

Softball

Providence Grove has had a couple of challenging games to begin the season.

The Patriots opened with a 4-2 home victory against Southern Guilford. Emma Mazzarone struck out 17 in the two-hitter. Gracie Smith drove in two runs.

Then came a 7-0 home loss to Oak Grove.

Last year, Providence Grove built a 24-0 record before a loss in the Class 2-A state playoffs.

** Southwestern Randolph went nine innings for a 2-1 victory against West Stanly, winning on Madison Varner’s game-ending single. Macie Crutchfield registered 17 strikeouts. The game was scoreless until the ninth inning.

Athelete-of-the-Week_Macie

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Macie Crutchfield

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Macie Crutchfield  |  Southwestern Randolph, softball

Crutchfield began her career by pitching a shutout and she added to that list of early accomplishments later in the week.

Crutchfield, a freshman, threw a one-hitter with five strikeouts and one walk when the Cougars blanked host Oak Grove 3-0 in their first game of the season. Later in the week, she struck out 15 batters in a 7-0 defeat of visiting Central Davidson.

Crutchfield gave up five hits and three walks in her second outing in the circle. On offense in that game, Maddie Varner and Madeline Smith both drove in two runs and Molly Strider notched two doubles.

In between the shutouts, the Cougars dropped a 6-1 decision at state power North Davidson during a busy opening week of the season in non-conference action.